BIODIVERSITY

BIODIVERSITY: is the variety of life: the different plants, animals

and micro organisms, their genes and the ecosystems of which
they are a part. Biodiversity is a broad term used to describe the diversity of
genes, species, and ecosystems in a region.
Genetic diversity - is a term used to describe the number of different
kinds of genes present in a population or a species.
Species diversity is a measure of the number of different
species present in an area.
Ecosystem diversity is a measure of the number of kinds of
ecosystems present in an area. This is the diversity of ecological complexity
showing variations in ecological niches, trophic structure, food-webs, nutrient
cycling etc. The ecosystems also show variations with respect to physical
parameters like moisture, temperature, altitude, precipitation etc

BIOGEOGRAPHICAL CLASSIFICATION OF INDIA

On the basis of physical environment and the kind of flora and fauna found
india is divide into ten bio-geographic zones.
Viz. Trans himalyan, himalyan, desert, semiarid, western ghats, deccan
peninsula, gangetic plain, northeast india, islands and coasts.

Value of biodiversity
Consumptive value - Food and Raw Materials - In many parts of the world,
people are involved in a subsistence economy and rely directly on ecosystems
for food and raw materials. They harvest wild plants and animals as food and
medicine and use plants to provide food for livestock, building materials, and
firewood.

Productive use value - These are the commercially usable values where the
product is marketed and sold. It may include lumber or wild gene resources
that can be traded for use by scientists for introducing desirable traits in the
crops and domesticated animals. These may include the animal products like
tusks of elephants, musk from musk deer, silk from silk-worm, wool from
sheep, fir of many animals, lac from lac insects etc, all of which are traded in
the market.

Social Value - These are the values associated with the social life, customs,
religion and psycho-spiritual aspects of the people. Many of the plants are
considered holy and sacred in our country like Tulsi, Peepal. The tribal people
are very closely linked with the wild life in the forests.Their social life, songs,
dances and customs are closely woven around the wildlife. Many animals like
Cow, Snake, Bull, Peacock, Owl etc. also have significant place in our psycho-
spiritual arena and thus hold special social importance. Thus biodiversity has
distinct social value, attached with different societies.

Ethical values - all species have an intrinsic value and a

fundamental right to exist without being needlessly eliminated
by the unthinking activity of the human species. This is an
ethical position that is unrelated to social or
economic considerations. It is also sometimes known as existence value.
It involves ethical issues like all life must be preserved. If we want our
human race to survive, because biodiversity is valuable.

Optional values - These values include the potentials of biodiversity that are
presently unknown and need to be explored. There is a possibility that we may
have some potential cure for AIDS or cancer existing within the depths
Of a marine ecosystem, or a tropical rainforest.
Thus, the option value of biodiversity suggests that any species may prove to
be a miracle species someday.

Aesthetic and recreational values - Natural areas provide important recreational

opportunities for an increasingly urban population. Camping, hiking, kayaking,
fishing, hunting, ecotourism, and sight-seeing provide exercise and enjoyment.

Ecosystem service values :-

Nutrient Cycling - Carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and many other chemical
elements are cycled through ecosystems by a complex array of bacteria.

Water Regulation and Supply - Intact soil and vegetation slow the flow of water
and allow water to penetrate the soil and recharge aquifers. These processes
make water available for agricultural, industrial, and domestic uses.

Disturbance Regulation and Erosion Control - Colonization of disturbed sites

caused by fires, floods, windstorms, landslides, or human actionsby plants
and animals heals the scars and prevents continued damage. Furthermore, intact
Ecosystems provide flood and erosion control. Mangrove forests, marshes,
and other wetlands protect shorelands from erosion. The network of roots in
forested areas and grasslands ties the soil together and protects watersheds.

Waste Treatment - Decomposer organisms recycle both natural and human-

produced organic wastes. Excess nutrients are removed by organisms and
pollutants are removed from air, soil, and water and converted to less harmful
materials.
Atmospheric and Climate Services- Many atmospheric gases are cycled
between organisms and the atmosphere. In particular, removal of carbon dioxide
during photosynthesis is important in controlling the warming of the planet.

Pest control - dragonflies, bats eat mosquitoes that carry disease and are
annoying; ladybird beetles eat aphids; and cats are frequently kept to control
rodent populations on farms.

Pollination Services - Many different kinds of insects are pollinators that are
extremely important to the successful fruiting of plants. The careless elimination
of these beneficial insects by the broad use of insecticides can negatively affect
agricultural production. Recent declines in honeybee populations have
highlighted the value of this pollination service.

Genetic resources our most important food grains have been domesticated
from their wild variety. These wild genes give them the ability to endure
adverse conditions.

Soil Formation - The weathering of rock provides new mineral material for the
building of soil. Bacteria, fungi, tiny animals, and the roots of plants are
involved in building soil by breaking down organic matter, incorporating it into
the mineral part of the soil,

BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS - Areas which exhibit high species richness as

well as high species endemism and are under threat of destruction by human
activities are termed as hot spots of biodiversity. The term was introduced by
Norman Myers in 1988. There are 34 such hot spots of biodiversity on a global
Level. Himalyan region of indo Myanmar border, sundaland, western ghats and
andman islands are biodiversity hotspots of india. Together these hotspots
inhabits around fifty percent of terrestrial flora and fauna in an area less than
twelve percent of the terrestrial world.

THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY
Five major human impacts threaten to reduce biodiversity:
habitat loss, overexploitation, introduction of exotic species,
predator and pest control activities, and climate change.
Loss of habitat - Habitat loss occurs when human activities result
in the conversion of natural ecosystems to human-dominated
systems. The resulting
changes eliminate or reduce the numbers of species that were
a part of the original ecosystem. Sometimes the loss of habitat is in
instalments so that the habitat is divided into small and scattered patches, a
phenomenon known as
habitat fragmentation.
Overexploitation - Overexploitation occurs when humans harvest organisms
faster than the organisms are able to reproduce. Overexploitation has driven
some organisms to extinction and threatens many others. Organisms are
harvested for a wide variety of purposes. Animals of all kinds
are killed and eaten as a source of protein. We use organisms
for a variety of purposes in addition to food. Many plants and
animals are used as ornaments. Flowers are picked, animal
skins are worn, and animal parts are used for their purported
Aphrodisiac and medicinal qualities.
Poaching - Illegal trade of wildlife products by killing prohibited endangered
animals.

Introduction of exotic species - Introduction of exotic species can also

have a significant effect on biodiversity because exotic species
often become invasive and kill or directly compete with native
species and drive them to extinction.

Control of predator and pest organisms and human wildlife

conflicts
The systematic killing of certain organisms because they
interfere with human activities also results in reduced
biodiversity. Many large predators have been locally
exterminated because they preyed on the domestic animals
that humans use for food.
Causes of man wildlife conflicts
Dwindling habitats and forest cover because of human
encroachment
Lack of proper planning and insufficient compensation by
the government

Climate change - Many species exist near the limit of their

physiological tolerance. A slight change in the temperaturemay
push them over the brink.

ENDANGERED SPECIES OF INDIA Gharial, peacock, leopard, golden

monkey, rhododendron (a tree found in himalyan region and western ghats),
Rauvolfia serpentine (a plant known for its medicinal value as anti venom)
Cheetah, pink headed duck and mountain quail have already become extinct
from India.
Endemic species a species confined to a particular biogeographic region and is
not found anywhere else in the world. Wild ass of rann of kutch, hangul of J&K
and toothbrush orchid of Sikkim are the three of the many endemic species
found in india.